


Training

by paperandmarble



Series: The Nightsister and The Jedi [2]
Category: Star Wars: Jedi: Fallen Order (Video Game)
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/M, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:48:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23626393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paperandmarble/pseuds/paperandmarble
Summary: They both silently agreed to keep their training sessions a secret- too many questions from the others. They had started with some basic drills. Merrin learned to hold a it correctly, have the right balance, and how to move her staff. She was a quick learner as if it was second nature to her.
Relationships: Cal Kestis & Merrin, Cal Kestis/Merrin, Cere Junda & Cal Kestis, Greez Dritus & Cal Kestis, Greez Dritus & Merrin
Series: The Nightsister and The Jedi [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1607623
Comments: 4
Kudos: 64





	Training

His knuckles whitened around the staff. Cal’s eyes focused Cere as they circled each other, watching the matching staff in her hand. With her eyes narrowing, Cere moved into a stance- one that was offensive. She gave him a slight smile. Out of confidence or excitement, it was at a loss to Cal. All he did know that Cere would be a challenge to spar with as he has never fought her nor had he familiarized himself with her fighting style. Cal dragged a foot behind him then, scraping against the dirt of Bogano as he moved into a defensive stance. Faintly, he could hear Greez settling on the edge of their makeshift arena, excited for some action. Greez had opted out of their sparring practice with the reason that he wished to watch- Cal knew he wanted a taste of something that he had abandoned so long ago. He was probably already making bets in his mind. Cal saw a flicker of green out of the corner of his eye. Merrin. Cal forced himself to think of the staff in his hand and the movements of Cere. Of course, Merrin wanted to watch. 

“Alright! You ready kid? Cere?” Greez said with a hint of eagerness. They both nodded. “Fantastic! Ready!” Cal’s heartbeat against his chest. “Set!” He let his instincts wash over his body. “GO!”

Cere was the first to strike, hitting her staff against Cal’s block from over her head. Cal could barely keep up with her attacks. The time between each swing and block increasingly became shorter as she backed him against the edge of the arena. Using the force, Cal pushed Cere backwards. With her tumbling back, Cal jumped over her and swung the staff. Cal got a sense of her style and her movements. It was then that their sparring became a dance with the force as their music. Cere seemed to be enjoying herself, and Cal was too. Sparring with a trained Jedi felt strange, stormtroopers were erratic and the other force-users he came across he was too terrified to properly appreciate the thrill and pleasure of having a challenging but fluid fight. However, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flicker of green and then finally Merrin’s figure. Cal tried to draw his eyes away from her, but his gaze caught a little change. Her silver hair that was usually tied up flowed around her shoulders. Cere hit him on his side with her staff.

“Ow!”

“Concentrate Cal, or I’ll hit you harder next time,” Cere smirked then, and he felt a little frustration boil in his cheeks. Cere knew what he was thinking about. She always did. They continued; however, Cal felt his muscles growing tired and sweat on his brow. He rolled out of Cere’s reach to breathe for a moment, but Cere wasn’t far behind. Cal quickly swung his staff, but she dodged it before kicking him in the stomach. Cal coughed, clutching his stomach. It was then she got the opening to swing her staff under his feet, and he fell backwards to the ground. Cere pointed the staff at his throat. 

Cere grinned down at him in victory. 

“I should learn to concentrate,” Cal smiled.

Cere laughed and gave him a hand to help him up. “Go! Have a break.”

Cal knew that she went easy on him. Her movements didn’t match the ferocity or talent she wielded when they were in Inquistorious. Perhaps, it was just by design. Cal went over to Greez who threw him a flask. “Good job, kid.”

“Were you betting on me this time?” Cal asked, taking a swig of the flask. 

Greez chuckled. “Of course not. My bets were on Cere. I’ve been doing this for years kid.” 

Cal couldn’t help but laugh; he would have bet on Cere too. A swirl of green appeared next to Greez and Merrin appeared with a small smile on her face. “You are so mean Greez,” Merrin gave Greez a little nudge before taking Cal’s flask from him. “Do not listen to him Cal. I will always bet on you.”

Cal felt himself go a little red. “Thanks, Mer.”

“Don’t get too comfortable with her Cal,” Cere called with a slight laugh. “You’re sparring against her next.”

Cal shot Merrin a look. “You don’t say.”

“I talked to Cere this morning about it. She agreed that you need a variety in your training. And since you have never sparred a Nightsister,” she paused smugly with the lie fresh off her lips. “I believe it would be rather educational for you.”

Cal scoffed. Is she really doing this? They had fought before, trained together previously. He would never wish those moments away. 

_“Why are you always awake before morning light?” Merrin had found him near the vault, under a small tree he had planted. Cal had been meditating while he waited for sunrise._

_Cal opened one eye to see that Merrin was already sitting next to him. Legs crossed with a curious yet nervous look on her face. “I could ask the same about you.”_   
_Merrin scoffed and shook her head. She knew he was deflecting. “I could not sleep.”_

_"Yeah me neither,” Cal couldn’t tell Cere. She would tell him that something was cutting his connection to the force or something. Cal would rather work through it on his own._

_"Train me,” Merrin said simply._

_“Train you?”_

_“Yes. In case my Magick- I need to be able to defend myself. Show me how to bash those sticks of yours together!”_

_Cal laughed. “Sticks?”_

_“Yes, Cal!” Merrin laughed with him. “Sticks.”_

_When their laughter died down, she gave him a little smile- something shy, timid, something, unlike Merrin. Cal noticed that her hair seemed different. It was in a tighter up-do, not a single strand out of place. Her long red robes were nowhere to be seen. She’s been planning this little encounter. “That’s a good idea Mer.”_

_Her face was suddenly filled with excitement as she stood, walking around her. “I’m glad you said yes.”_

_“Where are you going?”_

_Merrin looked over her shoulder. “I decided that we will start today. I’m already prepared after all.”_

_Cal chuckled. “You’re really going to work me aren’t you,”_

_"Hurry up, Jedi. My Patience is wearing thin.” Her words juxtaposed the smirk on her face and Cal couldn’t help but scramble after her._

“Are you using your Magick?” Cal asked while he leaned his arms on top of his staff.

“Of course she will.” Greez scoffed, waving his arms as he took a fruit from a basket. “Why wouldn’t she?” Merrin raised her eyebrows and wisp of green flicked from her fingers, sending the fruit in Greez’s hand flying. “Hey!” He exclaimed as he scrambled towards it, but it fell to the ground before any of his four arms could catch it. BD-1 scampered towards it, scanning it while beeping. “Why, Merrin? Why?”

“It was amusing,” Merrin shrugged. “But that will not be as amusing when I, what do you call it?” She turned to Cal with a mischievous smile. “Kick Cal’s ass.”  
Cal had heard Merrin curse before, but the crew hadn’t. They looked mildly startled. Despite the dignity and grace, she held herself in, Merrin knew when to disregard all of it. Cal knew she just wanted a rise out of him, but instead, he slung an arm around her, pulling her with him towards their little arena. “Thinking of this ass have you, Merrin?” His voice a whisper. 

He watched in amusement as Merrin’s eyes went wide and her cheeks dusted with the same red as her robes. She gave him a shove. “You think you are funny, but truly you are not.” 

_Cal’s stick hit Merrin across her back. She grunted in frustration. Her anger with their training session had been boiling since they had started. After each wrong move, Cal saw a hint of the green tendrils around her fingertips before they quickly retreated. “You slipped again,” Cal made sure he sounded patient. He didn’t want sound mad; Merrin was already angry enough with herself._

_“I know,” her voice was like venom._

_Cal watched pace around their little arena; her knuckles white around the staff. “Maybe we should take a break."_

_“No,” Merrin spat. “I will master this, just let me try.”_

_“Merrin-”_

_“Please Cal,” she said with her voice pleading, “One more time.”_

_Cal huffed slightly, but the look in her eyes made him crumble. It was one of the first few training sessions. She wanted to prove herself. “Fine. One more time.”_   
_Merrin nodded sand she rolled her shoulder’s back, and a new expression washed over her face- determined, focused and something else. She lunged first, but Cal dodged her staff before rolling away. Cal swung his staff at Merrin, but she turned, the stick brushing against touching her stomach. Merrin jabbed at his stomach, but Cal hooked her staff around his arm. They fought against each other hold, but for a second, their eyes caught each other. Cal’s breath hitched for a moment, noticing the light reflecting off Merrin’s hair and the smoothness of her cheeks. A feeling washed over him that he didn’t quite understand, but all he wanted to do was to look at Merrin forever._

_The next thing he knew, he fell onto his back with the grass beneath him. Merrin was straddling his stomach with her staff pressed against his chin. Merrin smirked down at him._

_“I win,” her voice playful but Cal could see a little darkness in her eyes._

_Cal sighed, feeling the heat on his cheeks. “Well done.”_

_Merrin stood from him, her weight disappearing from Cal’s chest. “Perhaps we should have a break?”_

_He chuckled. “We should.”_

Cal rolled his shoulders back in preparation while eyeing Merrin from across the arena. He spun the staff across his palm, loosening his hand while Merrin smirked as her green Magick danced between her fingertips. Cal was nervous. Not about embarrassing himself, he’s already done enough of that, rather Cere realizing what Cal and Merrin had been doing every morning. Cere sat next to Greez, munching on an apple. While she looked relaxed, Cal could spot a look in her eye- one that was watchful, guarded. One that was waiting to pick up on any wrong move. Cal would have to be careful. He could only hope that Merrin would be too. His mind drowned out Cere and Greez chatting away, instead, watching tendrils of the green circle around Merrin’s palms, the rise and fall of her chest, the way her feet dragged against the dirt to move into a fighting position. They were both ready to fight even if the others weren’t. 

Merrin was the first to strike. A ball of her Magick barreled towards him, and Cal dodged. He needed to get closer to her, and she continued to throw her Magick at him to keep him away. However, even with each dodge, he was barely gaining ground on her. Cal threw his staff and watched as it hit Merrin, forcing her to stumble back. Cal ran towards her then, pulling his staff back to him, he went to strike at her again, but another staff met his- one that was made of a sort of curved wood. Cal soon realized that it was a stick from a nearby tree Greez had planted. 

“That’s new,” he said with a smirk. 

“I thought you liked surprises?” Merrin asked playfully before pushing him back. 

It was then that they began their dance, each of their moves were memorized by the other, each strike was mixed with an invisible and green force that assisted them. However, he was pushed pack with her Magick against the tree. Its branches wrapped a tight grip around his ankles and wrists, struggling against it he grunted. 

“A bit of a dirty trick, isn’t Merrin?” Cal said, trying his best to get out of the grip. 

Merrin smirked, “Giving up yet Cal?”

Cal opened his palm, focusing all of his energy into moving the solid rock behind her. It crumbled beneath his grip, and in her shock, the branches withdrew from their grip. 

Soon, Merrin stood with a rock above her head and Cal with a branch around his neck. 

“Okay, okay. I think we’ll just call it a stalemate!” Cere laughed from the side-line. 

_They both silently agreed to keep their training sessions a secret- too many questions from the others. They had started with some basic drills. Merrin learned to hold it correctly, have the right balance, and how to move her staff. She was a quick learner as if it was second nature to her._

_He swung the staff at her feet, but she jumped out the way, bringing the staff over her head to hit against his._

_“Good try Cal,” She laughed as they pushed their weapons against each other._

_Cal smirked. “It was a good distraction. However,” He kicked her stomach, and she fell against the tree, dropping her stick as she went. Cal quickly pointed the staff at her collarbone, pressing in slightly. “Mine was better.” Merrin looked out of breath, pink around her cheeks, but she rolled her eyes, pushing the stick away._   
_Cal found that he enjoyed teaching. He liked the pride he’d felt when she accomplished a move. It made him think of what could have been but Merrin’s enjoyment or frustration, depending on the day reminded him of how great he had it now. How he rarely felt the loneliness or guilt that haunted him Bracca or the terror that consumed him on Nur and anytime he did Cere would give him a knowing look, Greez would distract him with all of his antics, BD-1 would beep comfortingly, and Merrin would greet him with open arms, her embrace holding all the pieces that threatened to fall apart._

_That morning had been one of those days. Cal had woken with a panic that refused to leave him until he met Merrin out in the fields of Bogano. She looked as haunted as he did that morning. They both decided to postpone whatever Cal had planned for that morning. Instead, they both laid amongst the green of the grass, talking about whatever that came to their mind._

_“So you trained those poison spider things?” Cal said, confused with the concept._

_“There are called Black Bane Spiders Cal, and yes we did train them. They were our pets.”_

_Cal turned his head to look at her. Merrin’s hair was sprawled along the grass and her eyes closed, her skin seemed to almost glow under the sunlight. She looked so peaceful.“Did you have one at all?” Cal imagined the spider crawling after Merrin as she walked among the red land of Dathomir._

_“What? You worried you killed it?” Merrin opened one eye to look at him. Cal opened his mouth, but she stopped him. “Do not worry Cal. I did not have one. I simply didn’t have room to look after someone.” Merrin turned her head towards Cal as she gestured to her head. He felt his heart tighten at her words and her expression, but he did not say anything. “But now I have room to look after you.” Cal’s eyes widened slightly. “Do have room to look after me?”_

_He paused and searched her vulnerable eyes. Cal couldn’t help think of the Jedi Code and how dangerous the line he had been walking between attachment and friendship. But how could Cal say no to her?_

_Cal reached to tangle his fingers with hers, feeling her warmth. “Always Merrin.”_

Greez gave Cal a little pat on his shoulder, “Well done, kid. You made me lose a bet.” 

Cal smiled, shrugging off his hand from his shoulder, “Yeah, yeah.” Although it ended in a stalemate, Cal couldn’t help but feel that Merrin truly won. He took another gulp of water as he watched Merrin walk over to join them. 

“You bet on me Greez?” Merrin asked. 

Greez waved two of his four hands in the air in exasperation. “Of course. You see, I’ve watched these two in action many times. I knew what they could do, but you’re a Nightsister. You could have some special tricks that we are not aware of but, Cal seemed to know those tricks,” Merrin and Cal looked at each other hesitantly. Perhaps they did give too much away. 

“Cal!” Cal turned to see Cere trying to move the large rocks that had scattered across the field and arena, “Give me a hand with this!”   
Cal gave his bottle to Merrin and jogged across to Cere. They both used the force to lift the biggest one, moving it to the edge of a cliff. “You caused quite the mess.” 

“To be fair, that was mostly Merrin.” He said with a little chuckle.

Cere gave a look- one of worry and amusement. “Getting close, are you?” Cal suddenly felt a little caught. Cere always found out. He was kidding himself him to believe that she wouldn’t immediately know just by looking at him and Merrin together. 

“We’re friends. Why can’t we be friends?” Cal asked with all innocence he could muster. He moved more of the smashed rocks to the steadily growing pile.  
“Cal,” Cere stopped her work with a sigh. “You have to be careful. Attachment is dangerous, especially for a Jedi.”

“Cere, Merrin understands-” Cal stopped, unsure where his words will lead him, “she understands what it is like to be alone for so long…” Cal swallowed, “but she also knows how to trust and to have fun. She’s my friend Cere okay?”

Cere gave him a sad smile before putting her hand on his arm. “Just be careful, Cal.” Cere moved the last rock onto the pile and left him. Cal turned to watch Merrin talking with Greez. The ache in his stomach was different than before, an ache filled with a certain longing that he didn’t recognize even with Cere’s words and his promise to Merrin echoing around his head. Merrin turned to him then and gave him a smile. 

And Cal couldn’t help but smile back. 

**Author's Note:**

> Finally, I’ve decided that I’m continuing this series. Hope you liked it!


End file.
